Tag Archives: hooded warbler

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes

Spending time with a Hooded Warbler in central NC

By Sally Siko

Here’s a bird that I see each year but struggle to photograph, the Hooded Warbler.
It’s not that they are uncommon or are particularly shy that makes them tough to photograph, rather it’s their proclivity to hanging out in the dark shadowy areas of the woods. That bright yellow color in their plumage acquires a dull green tinge from the dim light filtering through the leaves.
That frustrates me because I’d love to get a good photo of one out in the open so that I can capture its true colors properly.
I spotted this one last week while birding along the Cape Fear River in central NC. As usual the ‘Hoodie was tucked up in some dark brush so once again there was now way to get the shot I wanted.
Still, just seeing one of these gorgeous birds is pretty damn cool so I’ll still count this encounter as a win in my book.

Despite their brightly colored appearance, these guys can be tough to get eyes on. Luckily male hooded warblers are known for their complex and melodious songs. They use their songs to attract mates during the breeding season and may be found easily in the woods by listening for them.
A breeding bird found in all of NC’s 100 counties, soon pairs of Hoodie’s will team up and start family’s. They build their nests close to the ground, often in shrubs or dense vegetation. Interestingly, they incorporate spider silk into their nests, which adds strength and elasticity which is pretty neat!

These guys will stick around NC through late September. Look for them in the brushy understory’s of the forest between 10-20ft off of the ground in stands of deciduous trees near water.

Btw, I’ve got a ton of fun group birding trips in North Carolina, South Carolina, Maine and New Jersey open for booking from now through December.
Check out the calendar below and book your next birding adventure with me today!



Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

An encounter with a Hooded Warbler in Pittsboro NC

By: Sally Siko

Of all the species of warblers found in central North Carolina, no one has given me more trouble to photograph than the Hooded Warbler.
It’s not that they are uncommon or super fast on the wing, rather it’s their proclivity for hiding in the shadows of the brush that provides the challenge of getting a good shot.



They are striking birds with a onyx black hood, inky black eyes and a bright yellow body.
Since they tend to stick to the shadows of the undergrowth capturing a quality photograph which shows off that bright yellow color is difficult since the dark canopy washes out their yellow plumage with a lime green color.
Recently my luck changed and I finally was able to catch a few portraits of this beauty out in the open.
While I’m not 100% happy with this shot, it’s the best I’ve managed to capture so far.
If nothing else, it’s a step in the right direction lol!

Like most warblers, the Hooded spends the winter entirely south of the United States.
Unlike other warblers they prefer to hunt for a six or eight legged meal in the forest understory, inhabiting the 10-30′ high zone well below the canopy of the forest.
This a great warbler to search for if your neck is sore from looking up into the treetops for other species. A nice way to avoid “warbler neck” lol!
In the central and eastern parts of the state, Hooded Warblers are usually found in moderate to thick stands of shrubs and in the semi open understory trees in moist hardwood forests and are most numerous in brownwater river floodplains and near woodland creeks.
In the mountains, they are often found in rhododendron or mountain laurel stands, preferably where there is a water source nearby.

Look for these gorgeous feathered gems from late April through late September/ early October in the Piedmont region and coastal counties.
In the mountains, you can find them in elevations below 4000ft through early October as well.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes

Hooded Warblers at Brumley North Nature Preserve, Durham NC

Here’s a bird I was pleased to find a few weeks ago, a Hooded Warbler!
I spotted this handsome little guy while birding at the Brumley North Nature Preserve in Durham, NC.
Normally Hooded’s stick to the dark, dense undergrowth areas in a forest so it was neat to actually get a glimpse of one perched on a branch (relatively) out in the open.
Although I wish that the lighting had been better in this series of portraits, I’ll take what I can get with this shy species.



Hooded warblers are unusually territorial.
In fact the males and females have their own territories marked and do not cross them unless for breeding.
Males and females even make use of different habitats during the winter. The males spend the cooler months in mature forests while the females frequent shrubby and swamp areas.
It is said that “distance makes the heart grow fonder”, at least so it goes with Hooded Warblers when breeding season arrives haha!



These feisty little birds will stick around NC for just a couple weeks more before heading south to warmer locals in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America for the winter.
When they return next April, you can find them across most of the state except for on our barrier islands.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty @canonusa
#5ds

Field Notes, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A Hooded Warbler at Jordan Lake

Hooded Warbler

Got my first sighting of a handsome male Hooded Warbler a few days ago at the Jordan Lake State Recreation area near the Audubon Observation Deck!

These gorgeous birds breed here in central North Carolina as well as across eastern North America. They are likely to be found in mature hardwood forests within close proximity to water sources. Look for them in the lower and mid canopy’s of trees and even in shrubs and thickets.

Hooded Warblers prefer deeply shaded habitats. This one was no different!
It was very difficult to photograph this bird as he was well hidden in the dense dark brush. Unfortunately, I had to over expose this photo just to be able to capture his colors.
Still, I’m just glad that I got to see him!
They have such unique faces, remarkably beautiful with those deep black eyes set in a cheerful yellow plumage.
In fact, their preference for foraging in dim environments may be the reason why they have larger eyes than most other warblers in the United States.
Such a cool adaptation!

I’m so happy to have finally seen one of these feathered gems and can’t wait to head back out again to try and get a better photograph of another soon 🙂 Photo by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds